English word origin

Etymology of argh

In imitation of a cry. Used since at least the 18th century. Compare ah, of which it could be a lengthened form.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

intj

Expressing annoyance, dismay, embarrassment or frustration.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

In imitation of a cry. Used since at least the 18th century. Compare ah, of which it could be a lengthened form.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

adj

Timid; cowardly.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English argh, from Old English earg (“inert; weak; timid; cowardly”), from Proto-West Germanic *arg, from Proto-Germanic *argaz. Cognate with Scots ergh, argh, arch, erf (“timid; reluctant; unwilling”). Doublet of eerie.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionarghenm
Inherited-form mentioneargang
Inherited-form mention*arggmw-pro
Inherited-form mention*argazgem-pro
Cognate mentionerghsco
Doublet mentioneerieen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for argh →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-YXJnaA